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Credits

Patient: Maureen Smyth

Doctor & Nurses: North Surgery

Operating and Recovery Staff

Producers: Jane Smyth Mary Ellen Geglia Photography: Leslie Tansey

The actors in this production are members of the Staff of St. Joseph’s Hospital’s North Surgery Center. The roles they play in the story are not necessarily their roles with the Surgery Center.

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Today, Maureen will have an operation. She is vey excited and a little scared. Some boys and girls bring their special blanket or toy with them on the day of their operation. Maureen brings her baby doll. She’s not very scared any more.

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Now, Maureen will put on a special soft nightie for her operation. The nurse comes in to meet Maureen and says how nice she looks. The nurse helps Maureen get ready.

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Now, it’s time for the nurse to take Maureen’s temperature. She puts the thermometer in Maureen’s ear and it makes Maureen giggle because it tickles. After that, Maureen has her arm hugged and the nurse asks her if she would like to push the special button to start the hugging. The hugging feeling on Maureen’s arm surprises her but it doesn’t hurt at all.

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Next, the nurse puts a magic light on Maureen’s finger. It feels squishy but it doesn’t hurt, either.

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The nurse has another surprise for Maureen. She shows her a picture of faces and asks Maureen to point to the face shows how she feels today. After her operation, Maureen may be asked if anything is hurting her and she can show the nurse how she feels by pointing to a face.

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Next, Maureen meets the people who will be with her for her operation. Maureen’s mommy has put on special clothes. She will wear a special hat and a covering over her face just like all of the other people in the operation room. She looks funny. Maureen also gets a special hat to wear.

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Mommy will go into the operation room with Maureen. She is glad her Mommy can be with her. Now, it is time for Maureen to go down the hall to have her operation. She pushes a magic button to open the door. She rides on her bed and her Mommy is walking right beside her.

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The lights are very bright in the operation room. Maureen feels a little cold. The nurse asks Maureen to move to another bed. All of the people in the room have the funny hats on their heads and a covering over their faces.

A nice doctor comes in and he will help Maureen feel sleepy. He asks Maureen if she likes stickers. He puts 3 stickers on Maureen’s chest. They feel wet and sticky.

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Next, he tells her he wants to see how strong her muscles are. Maureen tells him she is very strong and has “good” muscles. It’s time for the magic light, again. Maureen remembers that it is soft and squishy.

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There is a big balloon machine. The doctor shows Maureen a grey balloon and tells her she can try to blow up the big balloon. She blows it up through a soft mask. It smells funny. The doctor tells Maureen to blow away the funny smell and that’s just what she does.

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Now, Maureen is ready for her operation. Mommy kisses her and goes to wait for her in another room.

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Maureen’s operation is over now. She doesn’t know it yet because she fell asleep. The doctor and the nurses in the operation room move Maureen onto her bed. They are taking her to the “wake-up” room. See the cup by Maureen’s face? That’s fresh air to help Maureen wake up. Maureen’s Mommy is already waiting for her in the “waiting” room.

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Now, Maureen is in the “wake up” room. She is sound asleep but the nurses are there to take care of her.

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Maureen begins to wake up and sees that there are 2 nurses right there with her. She remembers that Mommy is in the “waiting” room. She wants her Mommy right now but the nurse tells her she can see her Mommy in just a few more minutes. She still has her stickers on and the fresh air cup to help her wake up. Maureen feels very sleepy and a little dizzy. Remember when Maureen’s arm was hugged before the operation? While Maureen wakes up her arm is hugged again a few more times. Maureen is to sleepy to push the button so the nurse does it for her.

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Maureen’s tummy feels a little sick and she thinks she wants a drink. She will be able to have a nice cold drink very soon

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Maureen notices a tube with tape on her hand. This is a way for her to have a special drink for now. Maureen could not have anything to eat or drink before her operation. Her special breakfast comes through this tube. If the place where Maureen’s operation was hurts her, the nurse will give Maureen some medicine through the special tube, too.

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When Maureen wakes up, she might have a cough. The nurses want to help Maureen’s cough go away. They have special steamy air for her and they hold it by her face and ask her to blow it away. It doesn’t hurt or smell bad and Maureen likes it because it helps her breathe better. Pretty soon, her cough is all gone.

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Maureen asks agiain if she can be with Mommy, now. She is awake enough to go to the room where Mommy can be with her. Before she goes, she helps the nurse take the stickers off her chest. The nurse takes the muscle hugger off her arm and the magic light off her finger. The tube in her hand has to stay there a little bit longer. Maureen doesn’t mind because now she will be with her Mommy. She waves good bye to all her nurses in the “wake up” room and rides in her bed to the next room.

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Maureen is now in the special room where Mommy can be with her. Someone goes to the waiting room to get her Mommy. While she waits, one of the nurses shows her the pictures on the wall. Another nurse gets Maureen a nice cold drink of water with a straw. Maureen is very thirsty.

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Mommy’s here! Maureen is so happy. Mommy gives her a big hug and says she will stay with her until they both can go home. Maureen wans Mommy to hold her so they both rock in the rocking chair. It feels good to have Mommy hold her.

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Soon, Maureen has to go potty. The nurse and Mommy help her to the bathroom. Afterwards, she wants to get into bed for a little rest. Mommy relaxes with her, too.

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Maureen remembers that the nurse said she could have a popsicle. She likes purple best. The nurse brings her one and it tastes really good. Maureen reads a story and colors while she waits to go home

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Maureen is finally ready to go home. The nurse comes over to take the tube from her hand. It is taped there so Maureen helps to take the tape off. It pulls a little but she is happy to have it off. The nurse has special stickers for Maureen to take home. They tell her what a good patient she has been

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These are all of the people and nurses who helped to Maureen feel better. They made Maureen’s operation day a special one. Mommy helps Maureen put her clothes back on. All the nurses that helped Maureen come over to say good bye. Maureen gets to ride in a special chair called a “wheelchair” because it rolls on wheels. She rides it out of the room to her Mommy’s car.

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Maureen is so happy it is finally time to go home. She is waving good bye. Her operation day is over and she is going home to rest some more. Soon, she will feel all better, go back to school, and play with her friends.